What Was Lenoir, NC First Known As?

When I researched some of the locations I used in my novel, Cleared for Planting, I found some interesting bits of history or trivial. Some of it has to do with what would later become Caldwell County, North Carolina. In the book, Emma Cagle and her family travel from the flatlands of North Carolina to a small mountain farm out from Grandfather Mountain. On their way, they stop at Tucker’s Barn to get their wagon repaired.

In the 1760’s, a Tucker family settled near Lower Creek in what would later become Caldwell County. As the area grew, the Tucker homestead became a gathering place. Some of the events held there included voting, military practice, speeches, dances, and special celebrations. One musician even composed a piece called “Tucker’s Barn.” The Tuckers also ran a store on their property for a while, and the entire community became known as Tucker’s Barn.  In 1791, this area had nearly 3,000 people.

When Caldwell County was formed in January 1841, commissioners studied possible sites for the county seat and decided on Tucker’s Barn, because it had a larger concentration of people. The new town was named “Lenoir” after the Revolutionary War General, William Lenoir, who had once given a Fourth of July address at Tucker’s Barn.
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